Peterson eyes season, says arrest 'will work itself out'

By Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY

With his focus on recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson says he hasn't dwelled on his July arrest after a dispute with an off-duty police officer at a Houston nightclub.

Hannah Foslien, Getty Images

Adrian Peterson was charged with resisting arrest after an incident on July 7 at a Houston nightclub, but he maintains he did nothing wrong and believes the case, which is still pending, will 'work itself out.'

Adrian Peterson was charged with resisting arrest after an incident on July 7 at a Houston nightclub, but he maintains he did nothing wrong and believes the case, which is still pending, will 'work itself out.'

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But the case is still pending. Peterson faces a single misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.

"I know I didn't do anything wrong," he says to USA TODAY Sports. "It will work itself out."

Police allege Peterson pushed an off-duty officer who was working security and confronted the officer in an "aggressive stance." He was then detained by three officers and spent a night in jail.

Peterson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, has called the police narrative a "total fabrication." Peterson says he was attacked from behind by the officer.

Peterson remains miffed by some of the reports that surfaced in the immediate aftermath of the July 7 incident, including the contention by the club's manager, Daniel Maher, that Peterson was intoxicated and was an unruly customer. Maher told TMZ.com that Peterson was a "difficult customer all night" who was "throwing his ego around" until he was shuttled to a VIP area.

Peterson was not given a breathalyzer test and says he was only at the club a short time. He did acknowledge that he and the officer exchanged words, but said he did not do anything illegal.

"That's not my character to do anything like that," Peterson said. "Throw my ego around? C'mon. I was at the spot for 30 minutes. I never talked to anyone about getting a table. They never asked me to be in a VIP section. I came from another club, with 30 minutes (before closing). Then things got out of hand. The officer didn't like what I had to say to him. And I didn't like what he said to me.

"He was being disrespectful, so I said what I had to say to him and he wasn't man enough to take it. So he attacked me from behind."

Despite his belief that his arrest was not warranted, Peterson called it a lesson learned. "Just be the bigger person and walk away," he says, "even though I have freedom of speech. Me saying what I wanted to say put me in a position for them to lie and claim that all of this happened."

The 27-year-old said he has not lost sleep worrying about the Houston incident.

"I came back the next day, woke up and worked out," he said. "I've got things to accomplish."

Peterson, who vowed after he underwent reconstructive knee surgery in December that he would return for the 2012 season opener, hopes to do just that this Sunday. He says he is fully recovered — remarkably, eight months after surgery to repair his medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments.

Peterson has told the Vikings coaches he wants to play in the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier says the call on Peterson will be a game-day decision.